COVENTRY SPHINX saw their FA Cup adventure wrecked by local rivals Bedworth United as the Greenbacks produced another cup master-class to edge a 1-0 win at Siddeley Avenue.

Sphinx boss Danny McSheffrey was left to rue what might have been as Liam O’Neill’s troops ensured United’s name is in the fourth qualifying round hat for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

A crowd of 800-plus at Sphinx Drive witnessed a tense and full-blooded encounter, but the home support left disappointed as Sphinx finally fell at their seventh FA Cup hurdle thanks to Matty Blair’s 68th minute header.

Blair came closest to breaking the deadlock early on when he forced Carl O’Neill to make a reflex save, before Sphinx’s Jerome Murdoch cracked a low drive that tested on-loan stopper David Bevan.

Ash Robinson then missed the target from close range as Bedworth began to take control of the tie, but it was Sphinx who carved out the best opportunity of the half when Murdoch outpaced the Greenbacks’ back four but slipped the ball wide of the upright with only the advancing Bevan to beat.

And the Midland Alliance side were made to pay with little over 20 minutes remaining when Rich Allen’s delightful cross to the back stick was met by Blair, who powered a header past the helpless O’Neill to send the green half of Sphinx Drive into pandemonium.